Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 27 The LDF opposition on Tuesday staged a walkout in the Keralam Assembly after Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan disallowed an adjournment motion on alleged police excesses and lapses in the fatal Cheranalloor car accident.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala admitted police failures and announced the suspension of four personnel.
The motion was moved by CPI(M) MLA A C Moideen, who alleged that the police applied different standards of justice to the rich and the poor.
He sought a discussion in the House on the October 25 incident in which a 53-year-old man was killed after a Mercedes-Benz allegedly driven by a minor hit his scooter near Kochi.
Moideen alleged that the incident was not an isolated case and called for the Assembly’s regular proceedings to be suspended to discuss the matter.
Replying to the notice, Chennithala admitted lapses on the part of the police and said the government had nothing to hide in the case.
He strongly condemned the Juvenile Justice Board’s decision to grant bail to the minor accused before the victim’s body was laid to rest.
“I strongly condemn the decision to grant bail to the accused before the victim’s body was even laid to rest. A poor man’s funeral pyre had not even cooled when the child was granted bail. This painful incident is on everyone’s mind,” he said.
The minister said the police had initially failed to invoke the appropriate legal provision relating to culpable homicide. After local MLA T J Vinod informed him about the incident, he made enquiries and immediately contacted the Director General of Police (DGP), pointing out the seriousness of the matter.
Chennithala said the police had sought to produce the minor before a magistrate on the night of the incident, but the magistrate had reportedly asked them to bring him the next day.
The police insisted on producing him that night, following which bail was granted, he said, expressing displeasure over the decision.
The government had directed the authorities to approach a higher court seeking cancellation of the bail, he said, adding that no one responsible for the incident would be allowed to escape the law.
The minister criticised the conduct of the judge who owned the luxury car, saying the law should apply equally to everyone, irrespective of their position or family background.
“Whether the accused is the son of a judge or anyone else, what difference does it make? It was a road accident. Is the law not the same for everyone?” he asked.
Chennithala said the government could not initiate disciplinary action against a judge but had registered a case against him as the vehicle’s owner.
The details had been communicated in writing to the High Court Registrar, he said, adding that the High Court could examine the matter and take appropriate action.
Referring to allegations that the judge had visited the police station and behaved inappropriately towards the victim’s family, the minister said such conduct could not be permitted.
“No rich person will be allowed to exert influence in this matter. Whether it is a judge or anyone else, nobody is above the law. We will do everything possible for the poor man’s family. Action will be taken against whoever is guilty today itself,” he said.
Chennithala said action would be taken against police officers who failed to include the appropriate legal provisions in the FIR and those allegedly involved in deleting videos from a mobile phone.
He added that the government was not obliged to blindly defend the police when they made mistakes.
The victim was returning home with groceries for his family when the car hit his scooter, the minister said.
He said he had accepted all three demands raised by the victim’s family and conveyed to him by CPI leader Binoy Viswam, following which their protest was called off.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan said the police had acted efficiently in a recent Mini Cooper accident case in Nedumbassery but had failed to respond appropriately to the Cheranalloor Mercedes-Benz crash.
“That’s why those policemen are now on their way home packing their bags,” he said, referring to the action against the personnel involved.
Satheesan’s remarks came amid criticism over the handling of the case and allegations of unequal treatment by the police.
Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that the rich and influential were treated differently from ordinary people at police stations and said the situation needed to be taken seriously.
“Ordinary people should not be denied justice. The government must intervene after taking all these developments into account,” he said.
Vijayan said he had spoken to the victim’s two children in Cheranalloor.
“They asked whether there was one justice for us and another for the rich. How much distrust is being created against the police?” he asked.
The LDF opposition subsequently staged a walkout after the Speaker disallowed the notice for the adjournment motion.
Later in the day, Chennithala informed the House that, on his direction, Additional Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) P Vijayan had visited the victim’s house and spoken to the family members.
Based on a brief report submitted by the officer to the DGP, the government had decided to suspend four police personnel — a Circle Inspector, a Station House Officer, a Grade Sub-Inspector and an Assistant Civil Police Officer — in connection with the incident, he said.
The government would take strong action against all those found responsible for the incident, Chennithala assured the House.
(PTI News)
